For many homeowners, the number one concern is making their homes comfortable, safe and functional for everyone who lives there. If you live with your elderly parents or they visit often, we know that it’s important to you that your home is safe and accessible for them.

Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when choosing and maintaining your flooring to ensure that your home is senior-friendly:

Pay Attention to Flooring Transitions

If you have many types of flooring throughout your home, from carpet to hardwood to tile and beyond, you’ll also have many of flooring transitions which can make walking more difficult for seniors.

Where appropriate, try to be consistent with your flooring and limit the types of flooring in your home to one or two main materials. Flooring transitions can be tripping hazards, which can be dangerous for older adults with mobility issues or walkers. If you do need lots of different flooring types, try to make sure they’re flush with each other and try to minimize any height differences where the two types of flooring materials meet.

Limit Your Use of Rugs

Rugs can add a lot of comfort and beauty to your home, but they’re not a great option if you’re looking to make your home safer for seniors. Rugs can be a tripping hazard for older adults, and smaller area rugs can be dangerous for slipping. If you do like to use rugs and are looking for a better option, consider rubber anti-fatigue mats for your kitchen or bathroom — they’re heavier than rugs so they won’t slip, but you’ll still be comfortable while cooking, cleaning, etc.

Keep Hard Floors Dry

Tile, hardwood, laminate and other types of hard floors are a major hazard when they’re wet. Pay special attention to any spills or areas where you get lots of moisture, and be sure to keep them clean and dry as much as possible.

Install More Carpeting

Carpet floors have a lot of advantages, from being soft on the feet and providing more warmth, to being safer for older adults to walk on. Consider installing carpet in common areas like your living room, as well as bedrooms. Look for low-to-mid pile carpets that are smooth and dense, rather than carpets with a high pile and lots of curls. Carpet is less slippery than hard floors, so your senior family members will be less likely to fall.